Lord of the Rings: The Musical (No Joke!)

[Mithalwen]

Maybe they would use Billy Boyd again ....... he is a trained singer and would make the height....

[wilwarin538]

Good luck with your audition Tigerlily were all rooting for ya!

[Tigerlily Gamgee]

So, perhaps I should recap my experience at the auditions, no?

Well, I arrived there bright and early... around 8:30 in the morning, and there was already a huge line out the door and around the parking lot. I discovered later that I was number 408 of the non-Equity actors, and there were at least 300 or more Equity seen before they even started with non-Equity... so that means there were more than 700 people seen before me. Yikes!
There were television crews all over of the place... luckily I avoided them because I was not "interesting" enough. Yes, there were some "interesting" people there. You could tell that there were just some die hard fans there who probably had no acting experience whatsoever. A few cloaks, elf ears, and one person with a large walking stick. I was in line next to three lovely people who I befriended that day. If I remember correctly, their names were Mariem, Rob, and Adrianna. Mariem and Adrianna were both singer/actors, and Rob was an actor/combat fighter. We were out in the sun in line for about 4 hours before we got to the sign in desk. After signing in we waited almost another 4 hours before we were seen. We found a little diner in the building where the auditions were being held and camped out there until our audition times. It was a long wait, but making friends in line sure did help out a lot. Many people were crowded in this large gym-like room with a disco ball on the ceiling... sitting, sleeping, or whatever, waiting to be seen. Just say "moo," because this was a cattle call if I've ever seen one.
They were taking us in groups of 10 to be seen by the screeners. When we got downstairs there was someone there with a tape measure to make sure that people weren't lying about their height on their resumes. The woman I sang for was nice, but she told me that my voice was too classical sounding for what they are looking for. It probably didn't help that I'm not Canadian, too, so she didn't recognize any of my resume credits. So, I didn't make it past round one, and neither did any of my line friends. There were many, many, many people who did not make it past the screeners.
I was so tired by the time I was seen that I fear hearing my voice. Ah well, I plan on auditioning again if they bring it to the States. Plus, I will have, hopefully, seen it by then and can try to mold my voice accordingly to match what they are looking for.
All day all you heard was "no vibrato," so they want very clear true toned voices that are light... that what it seems like to me.

By being in Toronto, though, I learned a little more about what is going into thie production and I am even more excitied by it now. It's strange, because I will forever link Toronto with LOTR in my head, because Toronto is where I attended The Gathering of the Fellowship (which, btw, they are organizing another one to coincide with the opening of the musical next year www.tolkiengathering.com), and now it's where I went to audition for the LOTR Musical. I tell ya, though, I think that this show it going to be stunning. I saw some skeletons of the puppetry and stilts they are using for the Black Riders... gah! Amazing! I can't wait to see this show!

[Bêthberry]

Thanks for recounting your audition experience, Tigerlily Gamgee. I'm glad you can be so philosophical about such a cattle call. They are trying! Apparently there were over 300 people too at the Vancouver audition, and there were several others as well.

Will you be seeing the IMAX screening of LotR? I saw Star Wars on IMAX, so I would imagine that might be quite a thrill.

I have heard some very interesting thoughts about this musical, points which I think in many ways are very complimentary to Tolkien himself.

First of all, the guidelines for the roles are really very unique. It is rare to be told, "No one over 5' 7" tall"! And there are some other criteria for size and appearance and voice that provide alot of hope for people who don't fall into the usual tall, willowy and blonde categories. It is good to see actors and actresses who don't have the usual looks and appearance being given a chance. I bet Tolkien would appreciate that. (Hey, I remember seeing a picture of you. You are gorgeous! I couldn't see you as a dwarf or hobbit, but then, I don't know how talented you are!)

People are also hoping that this musical provides a much needed shot in the arm for a city whose arts community still has not recovered from the SARS epidemic scare. Right, the Rolling Stones concert didn't do it. I think that is one reason why the local governments fell behind the Mervishes to support the show there after plans for a London theatre fell through. There should be lots of jobs not only for actors and singers and musicians but all kinds of stage hands. And then the local hotels and restaurants, etc. Sort of like The Shire recovering from the Scouring!

Apparently this production has exclusive rights to the show for 18 months in North America and 9 in England.

So, while Christopher might cringe and JR might be rolling over in the grave, there might indeed be some very positive things to come out of this musical, maybe not all artistic or canonical, but still things which help an artistic community create a vision. I kind of hope that such a positive potential would not be sneared at by a writer as generous as Tolkien.

[Tigerlily Gamgee]

Indeed, Bethberry, very well said. I think a lot of good things will come out of it. I think it's going to be another advancement in stage musicals, just as the films were for Hollywood. I remember when taking a history of musical theatre course that we talked about the shows that changed musical theatre history... I believe, if I am remembering correctly, that those included Showboat, Oklahoma, and Sweeney Todd - I'm sure about the first two, and I think the last one is correct. So, I'm hoping that this musical will just show, again, what wonders can be accomplished on the stage.
I think that Tolkien would appreciate the care and consideration going into this production... I think they are being even more particular with their casting than PJ was... of course, you can't really use special effects to make people look different heights on stage. I think it will come out great because of the care they are giving this show. I can't wait to see who they've cast!
Thanks for the compliments Many tell me I resemble Eowyn, so I was hoping for that Alas, my dream did not come true, but it will for someone else I'll have to post a link to a recording of myself once I get it. I recently sang on a demo CD for a local composer's musical, so I'll actuallyhave a recording of myself within a few months.
And, no, I didn't see the IMAX showing, because I don't actually live in Toronto, I live about 4 hours away from Toronto.

[Mithalwen]

Originally Posted by Bêthberry

So, while Christopher might cringe and JR might be rolling over in the grave, there might indeed be some very positive things to come out of this musical, maybe not all artistic or canonical, but still things which help an artistic community create a vision. I kind of hope that such a positive potential would not be sneared at by a writer as generous as Tolkien.

Since he actively collaborated with Donald Swann (and I appreciate setting a few songs is not quite the same as a full blown musical), it is not inconceivable that he might even have approved of a sincere and respectful version - especially if Edith had liked it..... and even Christopher cooperated with the Radio version

[Bêthberry]

I found this article on the second stage of the auditions for the Lord of the Rings musical and thought people might be interested in it. I'll copy the entire article here because links to newspaper articles don't have a long shelf life. Tigerlily, would you have been prepared for this?

Source: Michael Posner, "Why I won't be in Lord of the Rings," Globe and Mail, Saturday, May 14, 2005. Section R, "Review: Theatre", p. 2.

THE ROAD TO THE RINGS: PART ONEWhy I won't be in Lord of the RingsIn the first of a series on the making of next year's mega-musical, The Lord of the Rings, MICHAEL POSNER goes to the gruelling boot camp that determines whether those who can sing and dance also have the stamina to handle the physically demanding showSaturday, May 14, 2005 Page R2

Disappointing as this news must surely be, I regret to report that I will not be appearing in the forthcoming production of The Lord of the Rings: the Musical. I failed boot camp. Let me explain.

The other night I had dinner with the show's lead producer, Kevin Wallace, and its director and co-writer, Matthew Warchus. Wallace and co-producer Saul Zaentz (in association with David Mirvish and Michael Cohl) are rolling the dice big-time with one of the world's most compelling artistic properties -- J.R.R. Tolkien's classic trilogy. On a working budget of $27-million, no stage musical in history has ever dared so much. If it works, Wallace and Co. will emerge laden with honours and not a little wealth. If it doesn't . . . well, let's not go there just now.

The verdict, of course, won't be in for some time. After several weeks in tryout mode, the show's world premiere will be held at Mirvish's Princess of Wales Theatre in Toronto next March 23 (the first tickets go on sale tomorrow at 9 a.m. at http://www.lotr.com). With luck, a second production will open in London's Dominion Theatre in the fall of 2006 or no later than the spring of 2007. And after that, the producers fervently hope: the world.

In the meantime, it seemed like a good idea to chronicle various aspects of the most ambitious musical ever mounted -- from casting, costumes and choreography to marketing, makeup and modern technology (the last of which includes 18 mini-elevators, now being assembled in London, that will be used to move 52 actors constantly around and above the 30-tonne, $1.2-million stage).

Wallace and Warchus thought it wasn't a bad idea either, and invited me along one day this week to watch what they affectionately called "boot camp." They are, they explained, in the second round of auditions, seeing candidates called back for second viewings. Obviously they are looking for people with magical chops in the singing and acting departments. Less obviously they are also looking for people who have the energy and stamina to handle a physically demanding (punishing is probably the more apt word) 3½-hour show, eight times a week for at least a year (the minimum contract period).

So while Wallace and Warchus sat in one audition room hearing the singers sing and the actors act, I sat in another with Rob Tannion and Alex Frith. They are the Lords of the Mats, the Vaulting Box and other equipment more typically found in fitness studios or gymnasia than in theatre rehearsal halls.

Here's what happens. If, after running the gauntlets of Wallace and Warchus, you're still a candidate for a role, you're sent down the hall to Tannion's and Frith's Definitely Not For the Faint of Heart Boot Camp. The only exemptions are actors being considered for non-physical roles.

Tannion, 35, originally from Brisbane, Australia, is the show's associate choreographer and fitness adviser. Frith, 32, a Brit, is acting as its circus-skills consultant. Using gymnastic props, techno music, and their own ingenuity, they have devised a 45-minute routine that takes one's breath away. Literally.

"The basic objective," says Tannion, a former dancer and fitness instructor, "is to look at core physical fitness, at cardiovascular fitness, and see how people deal with obstacles, and how they move as performers. So strength, endurance, yes, but also: Can they take risks safely, can they move creatively? The tests are tough on purpose, because what we do know is that the show is long and demanding, and you're going to have to be fit. And don't forget -- an audition is two ways. Some people may decide it's not the show for them."

Enter two actors, both seasoned. Ralph (a pseudonym) is 52, and built like a former linebacker -- that is, he's carrying a few extra pounds. The other, Geoff Tyler, who appeared in the recent Mirvish production of The Producers, is 35, lean and lanky, with a dancer's body.

After a few preliminary questions about fitness and fight skills, the audition begins. The first test is for balance. Standing, the actors are told to hold arms akimbo and raise one leg pointed off the floor. Then they close their eyes and try to hold the pose for as long as possible. Then they do the other leg. Geoff is pretty comfortable with this routine and barely stumbles; Ralph struggles, and afterward mouths "It's harder than it looks" in my direction.

Then, on a large, soft gym mat, Ralph and Geoff are asked to run on the spot for a full minute, lifting their legs knee-high to slap their palms. It's amazing how long a minute can seem. For the first 30 seconds, both actors get their knees up smoothly and with good pace. Then the strain starts to show. By the last 20 seconds, both have lost their form and are breathing heavily.

And they've only begun. The next test is a 30-second variation. From a squatting position, they must leap into the air and bring their knees up into a tuck. Thirty seconds of rest, otherwise known as heavy breathing, and then burpees -- the staple of many fitness regimens -- for 30 seconds. By this time, both actors are perspiring. "This is unique," says Ralph, sucking up air. "I've never had this kind of audition before."

With each exercise, the actors must count the number of completions; these are dutifully recorded and will later be compared against those of other performers.

One minute later, with their chests still heaving, Tannion asks them to hold their breath for as long as possible -- another important measure of general fitness. The worst, in a sense, is now over, but what follows is no less challenging.

To a five-minute piece of upbeat music, the actors are instructed to move creatively, without lapsing into formalized dance routines or emotional expression. And after that, they must twice navigate an obstacle course of mats and platforms of different heights, leaping from one to another, before "dying" from the height of the vault box onto a mat. Again, Tannion explains, he's looking not just for physical agility, but for how the actors creatively respond to the test, never showing the same move twice.

Afterward, Ralph says his legs are "like jelly," and he feels "whipped." But the audition has not changed his mind about wanting to be in the show. "It'll be a challenge, should they decide to put me through this. I wasn't as prepared for this as I might have been, but who would be?" Even Tyler, 17 years younger and in better shape, says he "feels like vomiting. It's like military fitness. It was pretty intense, for sure."

I spend the next few hours watching Tannion and Frith put several other actors through their paces. "Awesome," says Raymond Miller, a 23-year-old actor/dancer who shows one of the best levels of fitness I see.. "The toughest thing I've done. Not just all year, but all career. It was brutal, but I loved it."

Jay T. Schramek, 27, who starred recently in Batboy: the Musical and was in Mamma Mia! for a couple of years, says what he appreciated was that "the physicality came from such an organic place -- the movement and the flow are connected to the scenery and the set, as well as to the actor. It's brilliantly challenging because it's thought-provoking, not just endurance-challenging. It'll be an awesome show."

Crystal Martinez, currently in Mamma Mia!, calls it "one of the toughest fitness tests I've ever had. I've never experienced anything like this before."

Later, both Tannion and Frith say they were impressed with the general fitness of the actors, but that it was clear they were pushing themselves hard. "It's very telling when you can only hold your breath, after the cardio tests, for six seconds," Frith says. "If you're really fit, it should be 16 seconds."

Of course, fitness is only one barometer, and in some ways will only complicate the casting process. In each case, the producers and director will have to weigh acting and singing skills against levels of strength, agility and endurance.

They won't have to weigh mine, however.

During the third set of auditions, drill sergeants Tannion and Frith coerced me into trying the first cardio test -- the running-on-the-spot, knees-against-palms exercise. The first 30 seconds were a breeze, and I was safely into average territory with a count of 110 slaps. Everything after that is lost in a painful haze. I don't know where my count finished. I was too exhausted to count, my dreams of playing Aragorn or Frodo shattered.

In The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Legolas says, "few can foresee whither their road will lead them, till they come to its end." I can foresee, because my road just did.

[Lalwendë]

Now I've had a look at the official site, I'm in two minds about this - two minds separated by a wide gulf. The music sounds interesting, with a Finnish folk group and a composer of Bollywood music involved I'm thinking of some truly bizarre scores. However, the producer worked on the musical of Whistle Down the Wind, and I can't even begin to say what a massacre they made in adapting the original film.

I'd still be likely to go and see it if it opened in London, as my curiosity would get the better of me, and I like to sample bizarre sounding entertainment (which is why I saw Jerry Springer the Opera, which was splendid). But if it's going to be bad then at least we'd get advance warning when they release songs from the soundtrack. The proof will be in the pudding as they say... I remain nervous about this, just as I was about the films.